Spirited Away 2 : Lin's Journey
by John McKenna
Summary: Lin and a stranger have to recover stolen articles. Along the way, Lin learns more about herself and why she's different than the other bathhouse girls.....
1. Intro

**Spirited Away 2 : Lin's Journey**

Author's notes and Intro

After watching Spirited Away for the nth time, I got to wondering, how did Lin get there? Who is Lin because she doesn't look like the other bathhouse working girls (check the forehead). So I decided to come up with this sequel to put out a hypothesis to the questions as well as give it a good storyline and maybe give Lin her "Happy Ever After" ending. Heck, Chihiro (Sen) got hers right?

Also, true to the master, Miyazaki, there is some commentary on humanity about our bad aspects but also on our good aspects as well.

Anyway, in my usual fashion, you'll find some things in the story that don't quite fit with the Spirited Away universe and more like from the books, movies and/or TV shows they are taken from. Good example is in Chapter 2 with a quick nod to Quinten Tarentino (you'll KNOW it when you read it).

But real quick to answer some questions that some might have :

a) Yes, Chihiro and Haku make cameos

b) no Yiff/Yaoi/Hentai stuff..sorry.

c) Yubaba and Zenebia will not do an act like Ana and Yuna Puma from "Dominion : Tank Police" - that would be tooo wrong (shudder)

d) yes, an interesting plot

e) yes, a plot twist or two

f) Yes..I used the english version names (mostly)

g) yes, a Winamp playlist for it, in fact here it is (only because I don't have say, the London Symphony Orchestra, and John Williams, Joe Hisaishi and Bill Brown at my disposal to make original music) :

1. Joe Hisaishi - Spirited Away (Reprise) (Spirited Away OST)(4:53)

2. Annie Livingston - Morning Light Type A (Project A-Ko OST)(1:49)

3. Coldplay - Clocks (5:07)

4. Ayumi Hamasaki - LOVE -Destiny- (4:56)

5. The Coors - Breathless (3:28)

6. ABBA - Take A Chance On Me (4:04)

7. Brian Tyler - Inama Nushif (Children of Dune OST) (4:42)

8. White Zombie - More Human Than Human [Meet Bambi in the King's Harem Mix (4:18)

9. Bonnie Tyler - I Need A Hero (4:23)

10. Tomoyasu Hotei - Battle without Honor or Humanity (Kill Bill OST)(2:28)

11. The Pretenders - I'll Stand By You (3:59)

12. ELO - I'm Alive (3:45)

13. Wallflowers - We Can Be Heroes (Godzilla OST)(3:56)

14. Annie Livingston - Follow Your Dream (Project A-Ko OST)(4:05)

15. Zeromancer - Send Me an Angel (3:57)

Enjoy!

Legal :

This is a FANFIC and no, I'm not making any compensation from this. All characters, references etc are licensed, copyrighted, trademarked,etc by their respective owners. Void in Somalia. No Deposit No Return. 0 Carbs and 1/2 the calories. Management not responsible for items left behind. Curb your dog. Drivers carry less than $20 cash with them. No nekojin were harmed while writing this.


	2. Of Picnics and Passerbys

**Spirited Away 2 : Lin's Journey**

**Chapter 1**

**"Of Picnics and Passerbys"**

Bou fell over and landed with a giggle as the beach ball rolled towards Haku's feet. Haku just looked at it and smirked. "That was better Bou, you nearly caught it!" came from Haku's left. Chihiro was standing there smiling as Haku picked up the ball. "I'll try better, you'll see Sen!" Bou replied back to her. It had been just a tad over a year since Chihiro was on the spirit side as Sen and her adventures with Haku, Bou, Lin, Kamajii and the rest. Yubaba had decided with her sister, Zenebia, that she could come over and spend some time with Haku and whoever else as long as she did not cross the bridge from the village to the bathhouse. The sisters knew that Chihiro and Haku were in love, real love, and they couldn't stop them, but they also knew that since her adventure, Chihiro had become more active in the environment and even started a school program to raise money so they could remake Haku's river since the source was never covered up. As for the bridge, if she did cross the bridge, then she was to be a servant of Yubaba's for a year. Granted, not a human year of 365 days, but a spiritual year which lasted longer. How much longer, Chihiro never asked because she didn't want to find out. Today, they were all in a glade by the village. She had brought some human food in a picnic basket and Haku had brought some spirit food for he and Bou. Haku looked at Chihiro and how the sun glinted in her eyes. She was now 13 and growing into a more responsible woman considering that when they first met, she was an almost helpless little girl. 'One year. Has it been that long? Chihiro has come along so much since then.' Haku thought to himself as he rolled the ball to Bou, who then picked it up and tossed it to Chihiro. From her window, Yubaba watched the kids play and wondered if maybe she could bend the rules a tad for Bou's birthday and allow Sen, 'Chihiro' she corrected herself, to cross over for the party. The day went on and Chihiro was waving to Haku and Bou because it was time for her to leave. Before she left for the tunnel, she ran to Haku, hugged him, kissed him on the cheek and gave him a piece of paper. 'Probably a love poem.' Yubaba thought as she took a drag from her cigarette. The tobacco didn't cause health problems for her because she was a powerful witch, and though a bad habit, she took the liberty now and then so she could rid her sinus passages of the smells and odors coming from the bathhouse from the more "ripe" customers. As she sat at her desk, moments later, going over the prior night's receipts, Bou stormed in happy and gave her a big hug with a loud "Mama!" Yubaba's eyes lit up as she looked at her son and asked "So did you,Haku and Sen have fun today sweetie?" He nodded and replied "Yea! And Sen gave me this!" and he offered up his wrist for her to see. Around it was two pieces of multi-colored cords tied together to form a bracelet. "It's a friendship bracelet mama!" Bou exclaimed. Though a human, because of their adventure together, Bou began to view Sen as like a sister to him. They would joke with each other about it and say "older sister but not big sister". Yubaba smiled at the craftwork Chihiro had made for Bou. Through Sen's actions, Yubaba had begun to look at humans with a more positive light. As Bou rambled on as Bou could only do about the picnic, Haku strolled in. "Ahh, Haku. I take it the visit went well with you as well?" Haku gave a slight smile and replied "As always. By the way, Chihiro asked me to give this to you." and he handed her the paper. "Hmm, I wonder what it could be? I thought it was probably a love note from her to you." Haku raised an eyebrow at that comment as she continued "You two make a cute couple. So what's in the note?" She raised a finger and the folded note gently flew out of Haku's hand and stopped midair in front of her. She made a finger motion and it unfolded for her to read. As she did her eyes grew wide as she exclaimed "Whaaa?It says there's a surprise for me coming tonight! I wonder what it is or even if my sister has a hand in it?" Haku gruffed out "I wouldn't know. She made me promise not to read it." Yubaba looked from the side of the paper, her eyes squinting and she smiling "I see she's already making you husband material then by getting you to promise things eh?" Haku was taken back by the comment and blushed even more. Yubaba giggled that old woman giggle and quipped "Seems even river spirits blush."

Night had fallen and the village was all alit with lanterns and lights. As the various spirits strolled down the streets and ate at the stalls, a cloaked figure moved gracefully and quietly through them. It approached the bridge and stopped at the edge. It's hooded head looked down at it and then up at the entrance. It moved slowly forward across the bridge, not disturbing anyone as it moved, but was beginning to get looks. As it reached the other side, the frog greeter held up a flipper and blurted out "Ok, you're looking a bit mysterious. You a friend of No Face or something?" From the hood came an almost quiet "I am here to see Yubaba. I have a gift." The frog blinked and replied "Well I can give it to her." The figure answered back "No, I'm...under request to give it to her personally." Another frog came up, asked the first what was happening and the two whispered back and forth. The other frog left hurriedly as the first looked at the visitor and said "He's gone to get her now. You'll have to remain right here. Safety of our clientele and all you know." Moments later, Yubaba arrived and quietly looked over the figure. It stood about 170cm tall (5ft 7in) and it's face was hidden well in the shadow of the hood. "So why am I here again?" She asked. The figure simply replied "I have a gift for you...from Chihiro."Yubaba's eyes grew a bit as the frog next to her asked "Who's she boss?" Yubaba pushed the frog aside with a "She's Sen you idiot!" and got next to the figure. "So what have she sent me?" she asked. The figure held up a small emerald in it's human looking fingers and replied "A sample of what is sent along with a request." Yubaba's eyes fixated on the cut, nearly perfect emerald. She snatched it out of the figure's fingers and said "I think this business matter needs to be attended to in my office." She then guided the figure through the bathhouse at a brisk pace and up to her office. As the doors closed, the figure looked around and saw jut it, Yubaba and the Rolypoly Heads were there. Arms went up to the hood and brought it back to reveal the figure to be..."A human!" Yubaba gasped in surprise. The young man, about in his mid-20s looked at her and quickly said "Now before you turn me into soot or something, calm down because this is mostly my doing and not Chihiro's." Yubaba grew a bit angry and growled "After all she went through she does this to me? Send a filthy human not only into the spirit world but into the bathhouse as well? And who are you to tell me, Yubaba, a powerful witch, what to do?!" As she raised her arms and began to conjure up some ancient magic, he produced a small bag and shook it. Yubaba paused at the sound, a sound she had heard before. "What's that you have there boy?" she angerly asked. He tilted his head, closed his eyes and replied "Oh, a good sampling of high quality gems and such."

"Gems? Sen can afford gems?"

"No, she just merely told me of you, and her adventure here and how great this bathhouse is."

"Go on..."

" She also mentioned how you love material wealth so I figured with some expensive gems I have, I could come across, and make a once in a lifetime business deal."

"That being?"

He walked to her desk, and tossed the bag down. Some small emeralds and rubies rolled out onto the desk as he sat down in the chair before her. "Well, I was thinking a nice soak and maybe some dinner?" Yubaba looked at him, eyes still afire with some anger "A soak and dinner?" she asked. He blinked, looked at the bag and blurted out "Oh crap! Ok, that bag is for the dinner, here's the bag for the soak." and he produced another small bag and handed it to her. Yubaba took the bag, opened it with one hand and dumped out the contents. In her palm lay three, 6 carat diamonds of near perfect quality. Yubaba looked at the gems, then at the man and then back at the gems. After a moment of uneasy silence she looked at him and asked "Would you want the cotton or silk bathrobe?" He smiled and then looked embarrassed as he blurted out "Where are my manners? Miss Yubaba? I'm Ian, a friend of Sen's father. It's a pleasure to meet you and be here." He stood and gave a quick bow. Yubaba lit a cig and commented "Ok, I'll forgive the breach of etiquette because of that well executed bow." He looked up at her and she added "ok and because you do look cute...for a human." He smiled and said "So let me guess, while here, I'm not a human but some off beat spirit or something, and I cant eat food that isn't given to me as well as I cant bother any of the spirits and above all else, give everyone here the utmost respect as if my life depends on it, which it probably does." Yubaba smiled and retorted "My my, you are a quick one and yes, you're correct on all that. Dinner will be after your soak but before your soak, I'll lead you to a private bath where you can use some soap that I'll put a spell on. That way you wont have that human smell." He smiled and responded that it was a grand idea. As they began to walk to a side room, he paused, looked at her and said "Ah, almost forgot. About the soak? I have a special request..."


	3. A Fine Mess We Made

**Chapter 2 **

**"A Fine Mess We Made"**

"By the gods themselves, when was the last time this vat cleaned?" griped Lin as she scrubbed a good three inches of algae off the side of a large vat used for soaks by large customers. As she scrubbed away, the foreman, came in and barked "Lin! Yubaba needs to go to the VIP suite pronto. She's got a client that is getting the Soak Upgrade." Lin grumbled back "Yea?! Well don't come crying to me when she blows her stack because this place isn't cleaned." As she walked out, the shoved the rake into his arms and said "Here ya go. Don't forget the corners." Moments later, she arrived in the VIP suite. It was decorated in tapestries and gold wall decorations. Some bath chits were already pulled out for her and set in order of use. She looked and saw most were mild but aromatic. "Great, I'll be smelling like herbs and patchouli for a week." She sent down the first chit to Kamajii and hot, herbal water came down the flue. "At least I wont be smelling like a Stink Spirit," she began "unless Yubaba's client is a..." she started to finish when Ian walked in. She looked at him in the dark blue, cotton robe and gave a small sigh of relief. "Worried?" he asked her with a smile. Lin blinked and replied "Um no, I mean yes. You see, I was doing some really heavy work earlier and.." He walked up to her and interrupted with "It's ok, I understand. Umm, do you mind turning around?" She gave a slight look of surprise and muttered "Oops! I'm sorry." and turned around. As she heard the robe hit the floor and the sound of him getting into the tub, she thought 'Huh, kind of modest for a spirit.' She heard an "OK" from behind and turned around. He was slowly sliding forward until the water was just below his chin. He closed his eyes and said "Oh, by the way? My name is Ian." Lin looked at him and replied "Pleasure to meet you Ian-san. Um, you'll be getting the next round in a few moments, so I was going to go out and, um, get a hot towel for you and..." Ian interrupted her and asked "Actually, since you said you do hard work, it means your arms are probably pretty strong and I was wondering if I could get a shoulder massage maybe?" Lin put her hands to her hips and growled "Look, I don't know how you treat females over in your corner of the spirit realm, but here..."

"Whoa whoa whoa! I just asked for a shoulder massage and only that, not hanky panky or anything lewd"

"Shoulder massage?"

"Well, I've got this crick just behind the blades and I don't think the soak is going to get it out."

Lin cocked her head and began to walk towards the tub. "Ok, just shoulders. Anything else and Yubaba herself is going to have to do it." Ian chuckled and added "Oh, and no 'san' at the end ok? Just Ian will do." Lin started rubbing his shoulders and noted his muscular frame, at least from the water up.

"So, if I may ask, what kind of spirit are you because you look human."

"Human? Heh I guess it fits since I'm, um, how to explain this..." Ian paused and fished for an acceptable answer and came up with "I'm a spirit attached loosely to the Earth Spirits and kind of work as what one could say, as a guardian angel for human miners. Not the strip miners, but the ones that take what they need and don't destroy the environment. I guess you could say, the old school miners. Ones who take things like gems and make them better than before like with jewelry." As Lin worked the muscles, she asked "So that seems like an almost low level job. How'd you get the VIP suite?" Ian chuckled and replied "Well, I guess it's because I was allowed to pay Yubaba in gems. She seemed to be more friendly afterwards." At that, Lin laughed hard and replied "Yubaba friendly? Well, if there's money involved and she's making a profit, I guess she could be friendly."

The skull phone buzzed and the Ani-yaku picked it up. On the other end Yubaba asked "Everything going alright? I've got this feeling..." the Ani-yaku replied back "All ok down here boss. The usual crowd, that VIP and a radish spirit just walked in. Everything is going ok." and at that, a shiny blade came across his throat but not cutting it. From behind hissed "Ok, all the money you have. Make a noise and you get dropped off in a human kitchen in France." He looked around and saw shadowy figures robbing customers left and right. One stood on a table and shouted "Ok, this is a robbery!" another piped in, almost on cue with "If any of you move, I'll execute every last one of you!"

"Ok, you can turn around now." Ian said. Lin turned around and saw he was in a bathrobe. She cocked her head and looked him over. "Looks good on you." He smiled and replied "Oh? Really?" At that, Lin caught herself in a girl moment and realized she let down her gruff guard and snapped back to her old self "Ok ok, my work here is done. Now go do whatever else you're suppose to do so I can clean this place up ok?" He smiled and asked her "So you'd rather clean up here than to go and have dinner with me? I could use the company, frogs tend to slurp their food." Lin let out a slight gasp of surprise. It was more probable for Yubaba to give a raise and a tip to all the workers than for a customer to ask one of the help to dine with them. She pondered over the request 'Well, I'd get out of cleaning and he is fairly attractive.' She looked at Ian and asked "Won't Yubaba complain?" Ian chuckled and began with "Well, actually I asked if you could..." and stopped. His eyes grew a bit narrow as he slightly turned his head to the left. Lin piped in with "well I'm honored that you would ask me to dine with you. I mean I'm just a plain old house girl and.." Shh!" Ian said to her and Lin blinked "Shh? Wait, you just asked me to eat with you and now you're shushing me? What kind of..." Ian held up a hand and muttered "Will you pipe down for a second! I heard something." Before Lin could ask, a cloaked figure appeared in the doorway and demanded "Ok, all your valuables now or I start slicing!" Ian's eyes went across the room . He then shoved Lin against a wall and as she protested the act, she hit the wall and knocked the mop down and across the tiled floor. Ian's foot slid under the handle and he kicked the mop into the air. As the cloaked figure realized there was a mop now midair between it and Ian, the bathrobed Romeo grabbed the mop and slammed the handle part against the jaw of the cloaked figure. The impact was hard enough to drop it to the floor with a slump. "Hey! What's going on and did you have to push me so hard and also, next time, don't push me away by putting your hands on my.." Lin began to protest, but Ian was already in movement to the railing. He said over his shoulder "Stay back. I've got this." and leaped over the railing. Lin ran to the railing to see Ian fall three floors to the main gallery. He landed in a stance that looked like when a subordinate was kneeling before an angry Yubaba. He slowly rose up, mop in hand and looked around. Several cloaked figures had seen him and began to encircle him. He looked at the group and their movement. After a slight pause, he spun the mop around in his hands and struck out at the nearest figure. As it took the hit and fell backwards, Ian, whipped the mop to the side and slightly back and hit another with the mop end. The business end broke off on impact and went flying into the air as Lin watched the other four advance quickly to Ian. Time seemed to slow down as Lin noted as Ian began his quick attack. Ian looked over his shoulders and checked out the others coming towards him. He quickly gripped the wooden pole with both hands at a 45 degree angel in front of him as he still checked out his opposition. He then stepped forward and brought the bottom part of the pole up sharply and hit the underside of a figure's chin, sending it flying backwards with a loud 'crack'. He then slid the 'upper' hand towards the 'lower' one as he spun around to face the rear. In doing so, he help the pole like a samurai holds his sword and came across in a slicing motion with the pole. The wood cracked against another jaw of the figure that was behind him. Without missing a step, he let go with his left hand and slashed the pole to the right hitting a third figure in the temple, dropping it like a bag of wet rice. He spun to his left and brought his right hand slightly up and in front of him. His left hand grabbed the wooden pole and again, like a samurai doing a 'over the head' delivery of a slice, cracked the pole down atop the head of the fourth figure, breaking the pole as well as the figure's skull. He repositioned his stance into a defensive one and looked around. The room was silent as workers, robbers and customers stood in awe of what just happened. The silence was broken by the mop head hitting the floor. Ian looked around and simply asked "Next?" As the rest were about to advance, they all cocked their heads upwards. One yelled out "That's the signal! Scatter!" and they all ran out as quickly as they arrived. Lin came running down the stairs as some of the others began to crowd around Ian thanking him. "Ok wait a second! How does an earth spirit know how to fight like that? Even if you know how to, how were you able to drop down from the third floor without injuring yourself? no low level spirit can do that!" Lin began asking. As Lin and the others began throwing compliments and questions his way, Ian looked around and looked at Lin. "Doesn't it seem strange that a robbery happens when there's tons of witnesses and not when everyone is asleep?" he asked her. Lin paused and replied "Well, those guys weren't too bright to begin with." Ian looked around and said "No, it seemed more like a diversion but why?' After a second of silence, he grabbed Lin's hand and ran for the stairs. "Wait? If you're thinking of some victory party for two, you've got another thing coming mister!" As they ran, Lin stopped and pulled back. Ian looked at her and replied "Yubaba was the target, not us." Lin gasped as Ian pulled her and started back up to the stairs to the special elevator.

"Mama, please wake up!" Bou cried as he held Yubaba in his arms. The doors burst open and he grabbed a baseball bat Chihiro had given him, but saw it was Lin and some guy. "Auntie Lin!" he cried. Lin and Ian rushed to Yubaba's side. Lin took Bou aside as Ian checked for a pulse. As Lin reassured Buu his mother was alright, Ian felt a pulse. He looked down and Yubaba's eyes opened up. "Why not give me some CPR there handsome?" He let her go with a clunk and said to Bou "You're mother is alright kiddo. Delirious, but ok." She sat up and rubbed her head and said to Lin "Call down to Komagi and tell him someone stole the Kurari Rune, and someone find Haku." As if on cue, a bloodied Haku, in dragon form, flew in from an open window clutching an unconscious Zeniiba. He dropped her on the floor and slumped down. Lin ran to Haku to tend to his wounds and Ian rushed over to Zeniiba to see if she's alright. From his side came a weak "She's out cold, but alright. Someone ambushed us at her home and took a box." Ian looked over and saw Haku in human form being tended to by Lin, who muttered about how more careful he needed to be. "If they ambushed my sister and took her box," Yubaba began "then they have the Akarui Rune." All eyes went to Yubaba as she added "Together they form the Grand Kokoro rune which can open a rift between the human and spirit worlds." Lin looked puzzled and asked "What happens then?" Yubaba's eyes grew into slits as she menacingly replied "One could lay siege to both worlds. In other words, conquest and destruction."


	4. Journey Begins With A First Step

**Chapter Three**

**"A Journey Begins With The First Step"**

Ian was clothed and given what Zeniiba called a special backpack. He looked over at Lin who was getting some sandaru, or sandals, to walk in. "Why do I have to go?" she protested. Zeniiba, who had a bandage around her head piped back with "Because Ian is, um, unfamiliar with these lands and could use you as a guide." "Also because you seem to have some medical knowledge as well, and he might need that." Yubaba added. Ian looked at her and smiled. "Besides, I bet you haven't had a vacation from here in a while eh?" Lin grumbled at him and walked towards him. He turned and they both began walking to the train platform. As they walked, Ian looked at the fish that swam in the water alongside the rails. "They only appear in the rainy season. Normally this is a grassy plain." Lin said like a tour guide to her travelling companion. Yubaba had given them tickets to board the train and told them to head for the station at the border of the K'sa Plains. There, Zeniiba said, they would travel east until they came across a weathered tree larger than Bou. There, they would find a small hut where a poh she new would help them out. The robbers, per Yubaba, smelled of darkness and the poh knew of some dark spirits. "One of them will know who is behind this. Find out who and get the runes back." Zeniiba said. They got to the platform and waited for the train. In the uncomfortable silence, Ian asked "So um Lin? What foods do you like?" Lin was slightly taken aback at the question but realized it broke the silence. "Well the usual, rice balls, inari and grilled lizards." She looked at Ian and was slightly in awe. for a second, the sun's reflection off the water seemed to light his face up in an almost heavenly manner. He smiled and asked "What about cheesecake or lemon meringue pie? Or even, oh! How about chicken breasts stuffed with broccoli, cheese and almonds?" Lin blinked and replied "What kind of food is that?" Ian stopped briefly smiling, as if he remembered something and replied "Oh sorry, I guess I spent too much time over on the human side." Lin just replied with a skeptical "Uh huh." half an hour later, the train arrived and they boarded it. As it traveled, Lin noticed that Ian was looking out the windows as if he had never been here before. Of course, the witchy sisters had mentioned he was unfamiliar with the area, but he acted like he had never seen any of it at all, ever. As the train left the third station, the one before Zeniiba's stop, Lin thought back to something Zeniiba had said earlier.

_Because Ian is, um, unfamiliar with these lands and could use you as a guide. _

"OK, why am I here? Really?" Lin demanded to Ian. He blinked as she began."It's because Yubaba thinks I shouldn't work there right? Because I helped that human Chihiro right? Or is it because I gave that radish spirit last week an expensive soak when she paid for a cheap one isn't it?"

"Um, Lin?"

"Hrm, or it could be because I took the foreman's grilled gecko right?"

"Lin?"

Lin leaned back, folded her arms, closed her eyes and continued to rant "I bet it's because the old hag found out I used a bath token on myself, but hey, we girls need some soaking right? I mean she of all people could use a good soak and.."

"Lin!" Ian burst out. Lin opened one eye and asked "What?" Ian turned to face her and replied "I asked for you at the bathhouse because Chihiro talked highly of you." Lin's eyes opened and she uttered "Chihiro? Sen?" Ian nodded and added "and you're here with me because yes, I don't know the area because I'm human." At that, Lin stood up and bellowed "You're a what?!" Ian motioned her to get quiet and replied "Yes, I'm human. A friend of Sen's family. Now will you sit down please?" Lin sat down. "Spill it mister." she angerly said. Ian looked down and started "Wow, you find out I'm a human and suddenly you're no longer the nice Lin that Chihiro praised and talked alot about like a sister." Lin blinked and felt embarrassed as he continued "She talked of how you were and how you helped her out as how you looked. She even drew a picture of you, but the neither the picture nor her description does you total justice. You look better in person." She blushed and turned away to hide it as he went on. "Sure, it sounds corny, but I had to see what you looked like in person. I had saved up alot of money and decided to buy some gemstones to pay Yubaba for the bath and dinner but also to make sure you were the one tending to me. I'm sorry for misleading you and acting in such a degradating and egotistical manner. Shoot, I'm sorry to think that someone like you would go on a dinner date with a human." With that, he leaned back and slumped down in his seat. "You're not bad looking, even for a human." Lin softly said from his side. He looked over as she swung back around and continued "And I'm flattered that a human would risk everything to not only crossover, but Yubaba's wrath as well, just to have dinner with me. I makes a girl feel..", she looked down, paused and then looked back up with a glint in her eyes and finished "makes a girl feel special." Ian "Really? So I'm not another smelly human then?" Lin smiled and replied "Well after the soak you got, I doubt you'll be smelly for at least a month." They both laughed as the train chugged down the tracks.

Hours later, the train stopped and the two got off. As they stood on the platform, they saw woods in front of them, but as the train left, on the other side of the tracks, they saw what appeared to be an endless sea of grass. "The K'sa Plain or Grass Plain." Lin mentioned. "We got to cross that?" Ian asked and Lin nodded and added "All the way to some withered old tree. Speaking of withered, what do those sisters expect us to do when we find out who has the runes?" Ian shrugged his shoulders and answered "Hell if I know. Why?" Lin looked at him, as they walked through the hip high grass and answered "Well, this is the spirit realm and you're a human. It's going to be dangerous for you here and i can fight worth squat." As they walked, she thought back to the so called robbery at the bathhouse and how he fought the spirits there. He had moved quickly, as fast as Haku, and knew how to fight and stood his own. 'Is he hiding something?' she asked herself. They continued to walk on, with Lin pointing out the various animals running wild in the plain. Some were weird like the bunnies that had short, seemingly unusable wings, to the neon pink lizards that were on the occasional boulder. Ian pointed out the clouds and how some looked like various animals from the human side. Later, the sun was beginning to get low in the sky and Ian suggested they stop for the night. He let down the backpack and brought out some canvas and poles. Within minutes, he constructed a pup tent and put two blankets and a futon mattress inside. He stood and said to Lin "before you object, the blankets are for you. I'm sleeping outside." Lin looked a bit confused and replied "Oh, so I'm not good enough to sleep with?" Ian chuckled and answered back "I may be a human, but I'm not a letch." Lin understood and reassured him she was kidding around and also how she thought it was nice to actually be treated like a woman instead of the usual way they treated her at the bathhouse. An hour later, Ian was boiling some tea in a pot hanging from a spit across a fire he had built. Lin had wondered where he got it from and he replied the backpack. "That's some backpack to hold all this stuff. Tea pot, blankets, a futon mattress. What else is in there? Maybe an army to help us get those runes back?" she said with a smile. They drank the tea when it was ready and Lin retired to the tent. As she crawled under the blankets, she looked out and saw that Ian was just sitting there with his knees bent watching the fire. Her eyes grew heavy and she easily slipped into the dreamy state we all know as sleep.

The smell of bacon wafted through the air and assaulted Lin's nostrils in a good way. She woke up, rubbed her eyes and saw Ian was still in front of the fire. She smelled bacon and eggs cooking and dragged herself from the tent. She stood up and stretched and in doing so, her top rose a bit to expose her midsection. "Wow, scrubbing floors and tubs made you a bit buff there Lin." she heard from below. Still in a stretched position, she looked down at Ian puzzled and then felt a slight breeze on her stomach. She realized she was flashing some skin, but didn't get mad like she would've before. Instead she smiled and replied "Yep, that's me, Lin the buffed out bathgirl." she flexed an arm to accent her reply. "So what's cooking there Mister I'm a Human Disguised as a Minor Earth Spirit that Beats Up Robbers?" "Thought of this ahead of time, back at the bathhouse when I was getting supplies for the trip. Bacon and eggs. A typical human breakfast." Lin crouched down at his side and said "Well, we eat that here as well, if you can afford the eggs and bacon. Huh, you're cooking the eggs in the bacon grease? That should taste good." Ian turned his head to answer her and realized he was about 2 inches from her face. The sun shone down on her lips giving them that slight glisten that grass with morning dew has when the light from sunrise first hits it. His heart began to race as he verbally stumbled out "Ah, yea, real good." Lin turned her head to face him and replied "Great, I'm hungry." and paused. She too realized that they were now face to face with only a few inches separating them. Both at eye level. She looked into his deep emerald green eyes and felt mesmerized by their deepness. He looked at her face and saw only a simple woman with a beauty that the Hollywood A-listers would sell their souls to have. The moment was broken when some grease spluttered and crackled. "Oh the eggs, right." Ian said as he turned to tend to breakfast. "And I've got to, um, fold the blankets and mattress and put them back into the backpack." Lin added. Minutes later, they ate their breakfast and Ian apologized for not thinking of coffee and bread as well "But I do get points for remembering to get some fruit." he added. Lin took another bite of her fruit and asked "So what's this called?" Ian smiled and said "An asian pear. It's like an apple and a pear combined. Good isn't it?" Lin nodded as she took another bite. Ian added that maybe some day he could bake his famous asian pear cobbler for her. About an hour later they were walking. Lin wore the backpack even though Ian said he would carry it. Lin insisted since he made breakfast and also remarked that with as much stuff that they knew was in it, the backpack was quite light. Lin commented that it must be magical and pondered not only how much it could hold, but what else it could do. Ian shrugged his shoulders and answered "Dunno, but I do know that whatever we need, that I know was packed in it, when you reach in, it's there at your hand to grab." They walked for a few hours and Ian asked Lin a question that made her happy attitude almost go away. "So Lin? How's your life been up to a day ago when I first got here?" Lin was silent and then finally let out a sigh. "I don't remember much from when I was young. I don't remember my parents or friends. All I remember is being about Sen's age when I first met Yubaba. She said I was found on her doorstep, cold, afraid, dirty and hungry. It was one of the few times she acted nice like her sister and took me in. She got one of the older girls to get me clothes and bedding after I had a good scrubbing. Heh, funny, I just realized something. The red work clothes and blankets I gave to Sen were the ones I had. I remember the smock had the patch on the elbow. I repaired it so well, Yubaba almost missed it. Anyhoo, I've been working at that bathhouse since then." She sounded down but Ian felt he had to ask "Do you ever wonder what happened to your parents or that you might have been a lost human that crossed over like Sen? I'm asking because you don't have those two thingies on your forehead like the other bathhouse girls do." Lin looked skyward as they continued to walk and replied "I know I'm not human. I've lived too long to be human. Let's just say I was a teenager when they had their Victorian Era." Ian whistled and began with "Wow! That must mean..." Lin looked at him with ire and added "What? I'm old?" he smiled and replied with "No, that spiritual beings have extremely longer lives than humans. We only live to about a century old. That's a blink to people here right?" Lin got the gist of what he was saying and realized he was not insulting her about her age, but was understanding better more about spirits. She smiled and said "Sorry I snapped at you." Ian gave a chuckle and said "Call that snapping at me? You should meet my sister. She can snap back at people so harshly it'd make Yubaba cringe." The two laughed as they began to crest a small hill. They stopped at the top and looked down. "Look! There!" Ian said as he pointed. Lin looked and off in the distance, she saw the writhered tree they were told about. To one side of it, they could just make out a small hut-like shack. "Must be it. I think we can make it there before sunset, don't you?" Lin asked. Ian nodded and they headed off to the shack.

The shack was an adobe type with sod for roofing. It was small, but large enough, it looked, to where Ian and Lin could enter it, if they crawled in. As they approached they heard a voice from a hiding spot. "Who are you? Why are you here?" "Zeniiba sent us to find some poh she knows that lives here." Lin shouted out. Nin leaned in to her and quietly asked "Zeniiba?" "You don't want me to say Yubaba and scare the guy do you?" Lin replied. From behind one wall, a small gnomish looking, squat ferret like being walked out. It had on a bright green vest and was holding what looked like a wand. "And what has dear Zeniiba sent me?" it asked the two. Lin squatted down to be a little under eyes level with it and answered with "She sent us because she had something stolen from her. She said you might know who might have taken it." The poh raised an eyebrow and said "Huh. What of Haku?" Ian knelt down and replied "he as hurt badly and is unable to be here. Besides, even if he could be here, Zeniiba still felt it would be best for us to come and find you." "And who are you?" it asked. before Lin could answer, Ian shot an open hand out to the poh and said "My bad. Forgive my manners. I'm Ian," he then cocked his head towards Lin and replied "and this nice lady is Lin." The poh took Ian's hand and gave a shake "I'm Yubi. Guardian of the K'sa Plain." Ian and Lin smiled at Yubi who smiled back. He looked at Lin and said "So lovely lady, what is it that was stolen?" Lin looked at him and replied "It was," but stopped and looked at Ian. He nodded and she continued "Ok, it was both the Akarui and Kurari Runes. She thinks you might know who stole them." As the words came out of Lin's mouth, Yubi looked shocked and mouthed 'Kurari' and 'Akarui' and stepped back. "Oh this is bad. yes, bad indeed." he muttered and looked around to see if anyone else was around. He ran to the door and opened it. "Come come! Now, before someone finds you!" he said to the pair. Lin raised an eyebrow and replied "Um, we're a bit too big." Yubi looked surprised and then pointed the wand at the two. He mumbled some words and electric blue energy shot out, wrapping itself around the two like a tentacle. There was a flash and they noticed they were now the size of Yubi. He motioned for them to come assuring them the spell would last for some time. They entered in the shack as Yubi closed the door behind them.


	5. A Broken Rose and Laughing Eyes

**Chapter Four**

**"A Broken Rose and Laughing Eyes"**

"Oh oh, this is most dreadful." Yubi muttered as he scampered around. He put a wooden bar across the door and uttered "For your safety tonight." to the two guests. Ian and Lin watched him as he went to a bookcase and looked. As he scoured the bookcase. Non looked around at the shack and elbowed Lin. She looked at him and he silently motioned with his head for her to look around. As she did, she realized, like Ian did, that the inside was much larger than the outside. On the outside, it looked like the shack was only a meter tall, a meter wide and two meters long, but inside, it was at least four times that. "My gawd, we're in a Japanese spirit version of the Tardis." Ian said under his breath. Lin gave him a 'What?' look and he replied with a 'Forget about it' look. "Eureka! Here it is!" came from behind a pile of scrolls and books. Yubi stepped out with a rolled up piece of parchment. He went to the table in front of him and motioned for the two to join him. He unfurled the parchment to reveal a map. He pointed to an area on the map marked with mountains and unusual writing. "The Plains of Change. That's where the runes are." Yubi said. Lin pulled out a chair, sat down and asked "Who took them?" Yubi shook his head and said "Could be many who might have done it, Kawaru, maybe. Yes, more than likely Kawaru. A falling out he's had with the others." Ian leaned against the table and asked "Kawaru?" Yubi looked up at him and said "Sorry, that's his old name. He goes by a new one now like his siblings. His name is Chaos." Ian looked down and replied "Let me guess? Siblings named Panic and Disorder right?" Yubi nodded and replied "Yuss yuss. Chaos, Panic and Disorder, the children of the Dark Lord and Queen Discord." Ian dropped down to a crouch, folded his arms on the table and laid his head in his arms "Great. We're up against some child demigod who is throwing a hissyfit." He felt something on his shoulder and looked to see what it was. Yubi placed a paw on his shoulder and said "Tis late. You two sleep and we can discuss this tomorrow. Figure out how to stop the great disaster from happening." As Ian sat there and pondered the situation, Lin spoke up. "Um, it's late. Yubi? Do you mind if we sleep here?" Yubi smiled and replied "Oh please missus. I have at least three more rooms that you two can choose to sleep in tonight." Ian raised an eyebrow as Lin smirked and replied "Well, maybe two rooms we can use." Yubi blinked and looked a bit taken back. "Oh?" he asked "You two are note married then?" Lin was now the one blinking and looking a bit taken back as Ian smiled and replied "No, we're just friends." Yubi smiled and said "My apologies to you two. Both of you make a cute couple and I just assumed that..." Lin interrupted him with "Well, just assume us two rooms please." As they walked up the stairs to the second floor, Yubi leaned to Ian and whispered "She's a feisty one isn't she?" From behind came "I heard that!"

The next morning, Ian walked down the stairs shirtless, but wearing his some new pants. They were chino-ish like Haku wore but a Bermuda blue instead of the off white the young river god wore. He let a large yawn out as he rubbed his hair. Sleepily he looked around and sniffed a few times. "Huh, smells good." he remarked as he made his way to the landing at the bottom. The table from the night before was cleared off and set for breakfast. He wondered if it would be a typical Japanese breakfast, since this was the spirit relm connected to Japan, or if it would be different. He sat down and laid his head down on his arms on the table. "Manners mister!" came from one side. He opened an eye and saw Lin leaning her head out from another room smiling at him. He lifted his head off the table and smiled. "Sorry." he replied. She smiled at him and tucked her head back into the other room. A shirt flew from the same direction of the other room Lin was in and hit him in the face. From the other room came a "And put some clothes on also." He held it up and it looked almost like a shirt someone would wear in the early 1200s, but without the frilly ends around the cuffs and neck. He slipped it on and tied the drawstrings that were at the end of the V-neck collar. He then sat there for what seemed to him to be a few hours when Lin came out holding some dishes with food on them in her arms. She was wearing an outfit like her worker uniform but instead of red, it was a deep green. Ian looked at her as the sunlight came in through a window and backlit her like an angel. She looked at him and asked in a cheerful tone "What? Surprised I can cook?" Ian smiled and replied "Actually, I was checking out your new clothes." Lin set the dishes down and looked at herself. "These?" she asked as Ian nodded. She turned this way and that checking herself out. "Well, it is a bit more figure flattering and the color is different." she said. Ian just smiled and said "A burlap bag would look good on you." It took a full three seconds for Lin to understand what he said before she blushed and blurted out "Eat your food before it gets cold." Yubi looked out from the kitchen at the two as Lin prodded Ian for comments on the food. 'Just like a couple.' he thought to himself.

After a hardy breakfast, and given a map from Yubi, Ian and Lin headed out towards the Plains of Change. Yubi had told them that once entering the plains, things will be different. Different in the sense that the area where the bathhouse resides is a place of peace and such whereas in the plains, it is more like a military state. Lin had commented on how she thought they might have trouble, but Ian reassured her that if things started to go south, he could bluff his way because of knowledge he had of human military procedures. "So were you a soldier then?" Lin asked as they made their way across the K'sa Plain. Ian looked forward, as if staring at something far, far in the distance and replied "No, but let's just say I've been around the military and besides their protocols and customs, I've seen other things." Lin looked at him and asked "Other things such as?" Ian's voice changed from a somewhat happy tone to that of sadness. He paused to answer for what seemed like hours and finally said "I've seen death, destruction and things done to humans that humans should not do, even in war. Granted, those were and are terrible things they did, but..." he stopped walking and Lin stopped a few feet from him and he looked down at the grass. The emerald green blades swirled around in the light breeze seemingly to almost caress his now tabi covered feet. He watched in amazement at how the grass seemed more like a living animal and not a growing plant. He watched it and all around him the sounds of the plain were blanked out. There was only the sound of his breathing and his heartbeat and he swore he could barely hear the grass actually make noise as it rubbed against the material of his tabi. He was snapped out of it by the feel of a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Lin looking at him. She asked in a quiet tone "But?" He thought back to what he was saying and also to what he was about to say. "But, human aren't that all bad. They do have their moments and eras. You can feel the sadness when you hear of a man who almost kills an older person just to get the few coins that person has, but then feel pride when you hear of a whole entire town coming to the rescue of a small girl that fell down a well. Yes, humans know how to kill and destroy, but they also know how to love, cherish and be humanity personified." Lin smiled and said "Well, you and Sen don't seem bad and as you've found out, there are some bad spirits as well." Ian let loose a chuckle and said "Well as they say 'You take the good and take the bad and there you have the facts of life.' " and chuckled some more. Lin smiled a quirky smile and answered back "At times, I don't get you. C'mon, we've got a good long trek to go on."

Days of walking led to Ian knowing more about the spirit relm, but he kept his questions away from Lin's past. He tried once and he got the feeling she didn't want to talk about it. So he asked about some of the bathhouse clients and how one could tell a male radish spirt from a female, etc. At night, the backpack proved it's weight worth in gold as it seemed to contain alot of food Ian used to make dinner for the two and the food was always fresh. One night, as they enjoyed his chicken in white wine sauce, Lin asked "Wait, aren't you suppose to not eat food from this relm unless it's given to you by Yubaba or someone like Haku? You know, with a spell put on it so you wont be trapped here?" As Ian swallowed a sip of water he asked back "What? You don't want me around?" Lin looked semi-shocked and replied "It's not that, but...Ok, I'm just thinking of your family and friends." Ian let loose a gruff and said "Don't have any really, except Sen and her family." For an instant, Lin actually knew not only how he felt, the loneliness and sadness, but also what it was like to not really have anyone. Things were quiet after that and as the moon rose higher in the star filled sky, decided to sleep for the night. Lin crawled into the tent and watched as Ian sat just outside of the tent entrance with his back to her, guarding her like he always did at night since they first began this journey, except this time.."Ian?" she asked. He turned his head towards her and she added "As long as nothing funny happens, you can share the tent with me tonight. To keep warm and actually sleep on something soft like the mattress instead of sitting there all night." Ian looked at her and asked in response "How much wine did you drink?" and smiled. Lin smiled and replied "Silly. Get in here and keep your hands to yourself. You deserve at least one good night of sleep before we head into that gods forsaken place." Ian turned, while crouching and crawled into the tent. He sat up on the mattress and removed his tabi, set them near the front flap and pulled the blanket up over his legs. He looked at Lin and said "You didn't have to do this you know." She smiled and said in an almost egotistical manner "I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to so there." She then had a stern look on her face for a few seconds and then burst out laughing. Ian had a good laugh as well and both knew she was joking with the snobbish tone of her answer. Ian rolled over onto his side so his back was to Lin's, both said goodnight and went to sleep. After closing her eyes, and feeling conscious slow go into sleep mode, Lin thought to herself 'I hope he sleeps well, because we might not make it out of those plains alive.'


	6. Into The Breach

**Chapter Five **

**"Into The Breach"**

A day later, they arrived at what one could call the border of the K'sa Plain and Plains of Change. The landscape seemed to be like something out of an old war movie. Trees looked old and almost rotten, but still bore leaves in dark, yet dull, greens. The landscape was rocky and colored in various darker shades like black, greys, browns and the like. For hours they walked and saw no one, until they spied not only a castle in the distance, but also a road...with a guard shack. As they approached the shack, a figure, like the ones that robbed the bathhouse, appeared. The only difference between this one and those that stole the runes was that this one had on blackened armor that was a curious mix of European chainmail and Japanese scalemail, and this guard had a pike. "Halt! State your business!" it demanded. Ian gave Lin a look that said for her to relax and he approached the guard. "We've come to lend services to the state." he said. The guard cocked it's head to one side and asked "Services?" Ian stood a bit straighter and replied "Why yes. The female can cook and clean and as for myself, I can be of service to the military."

"Oh? Who sent you?"

"I guess you can say those snobs a month's walk back there. They and their holier than thou attitude is what is destroying the very ideals that your lord and lady wish to instill on everyone. You know, that feeling of belonging and duty."

"Yea, you're right. Our kingdom is better than theirs because our leaders, like General Itami, see potential in all. Unlike those ungrateful bastards back there."

"General Itami?"

"Yes, General. He was promoted from Major about two months ago. So the female can cook?"

"Among other things." Ian said to the guard and accented his response by slapping Lin on the backside. The guard grinned and replied "Well, I do like the tall ones. Ok, you can pass. Go see Hamaru up ahead and he'll get you squared away." Ian smiled and bowed to the guard and said thanks. As he and Lin began to walk away, another guard came out of the shack drinking from a canteen. As it dropped the canteen to it's side, Ian and Lin saw it had a bandage across it's nose. It looked at them and the canteen hit the ground as it said "Wait, don't I know you two?"

An hour later, they were in the courtyard of the castle, surrounded by no less than twenty armed guards. Atop some steps, two guards came to attention as four more and a tall, humanish akuma clad in samurai-like armor came striding out. He made a motion with his hand and two guards grabbed Lin by her arms and took her to the base of the stairs and forced her to her knees. Ian took a step forward, but stopped by the sound of alot of weapons becoming unsheathed. "So, this is the female with skills from the bathhouse?" the akuma asked. The guard with the bandage replied with "Yes General Itami." He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him. "Oh she will please us for some time I say." he said in a tone that spoke of vile and wretched things to some. Lin jerked her head out of his hand. He gruffed and inquired "And the male?" Bandaged Guard stepped back and replied nervously "H-he is the one that attacked us sire." Itami looked at the guard and then at Ian. "I demand to see Lord Kawaru." Itami let loose a laugh and asked "And why does a whelp wish to see his lordship?" Ian glared and said "We need to discuss the return of the runes he stole." Itami gave a belly laugh and some guards joined in."Fool!" he began "Kawaru did not steal those runes. I gave the order to retrieve them." As Ian glared Itami grabbed Lin by the arm and held her up. He turned smartly around and began up the stairs with Lin giving a worried look towards Ian. Bandage Guard then asked "And of the male?" Itami stopped and was about to reply but Ian called out from below "Itami! You wont get away with this!" Itami said loudly "Slowly execute the whelp." but then from below, Ian replied, but in a voice that made the guards step back and Lin wonder what was about to happen "Itami, you'll release Lin, give us both runes and let us leave safely or the last thing you'll see is me holding your still beating heart in my hands." Itami swung around, Lin flung to his side like a ragdoll as he hissed back "You think I take orders from you? Kill him in a manner most horrible and in front of his woman. Lin looked at Ian, Ian's lowered his chin, his hands turned into fists and then open palmed as his left foot slid to the side and his stance became like that she saw at the bathhouse. His eyes, once a comfort for her to stare in, now seemed to be filled with hate and destruction. The guards around him all looked to see who was the first to strike at Ian until one decided he should. He was behind Ian and raised his katana up for a slashing blow and brought the blade down hard towards Ian's head.

All seemed a blur to Lin even though she was only 5 meters from the fight, but what she saw put her into a state of wonder. Ian, a simple human, was again moving as fast as Haku. He sidestepped the first blade, spun backwards and in one fluid movement, slid off the backpack, hit the imp upwards in the face, set the katana flying upwards and when the imp hit the ground, caught the blade. He then spun it around and brought it up in a defensive manner. Lin swore it happened in less than two seconds. Ian looked around and uttered in a low voice "Here we go." and back roundhouse kicked another imp behind him, grabbed his katana and now with one in each hand, let out a primal yell. The imps all charged and Ian went to work. As he blocked with one blade, he slashed and killed with the other. He slammed one katana deep into an imp in front if him down to the hilt, grabbed him and used him as a shield as he used the other to thrust the bloodied blade into more imps. Slash met with block and answered by a thrust or slice. Blood splattered everywhere and in less than the span of sixty seconds, all twenty imps were dead and in pieces on the ground. Itami called back behind him and more guards rushed forward down the steps like a flood of armor and swords. Ian, covered in blood, rushed forward and waded through the mass. Each step resulted with one or two imps ending their lives either by being cut in half, decapitated or ran though like a shish kabob. Itami stepped back at the ferocity of Ian and even Lin wondered how a human could fight against so many imps and still be alive and unscathed. As the last imp fell, Ian pointed a bloodied katana blade at Itami and demanded in a low tone "The girl, the runes or your life. Your choice." Itami yelled and drew his sword. It looked of European design like a claymore, but had a second, thinner blade along the flat edge of the main blade. Itami swung the two bladed sword at Ian. Ian blocked and growled "That's right, let the hatred flow." Itami lashed out and Ian blocked again but returned a strike himself. A thin red line appeared along Itami's cheek. In a child like manner Ian blurted out "Oh did I do that? So sorry." Itami then realized what Ian was trying to do, that being getting him so angered he'd let his guard down and be killed, but Itami decided on another venture. He stepped aside quickly and held the blade to Lin's throat. "Drop the blade or your woman dies." Ian looked at Lin. Lin was now really worried. Ian looked deep in her eyes and slightly smiled, but then frowned and looked down. "Dammit!" and he tossed both blades down. As they fell down the steps, the clanging sounded like bells. Itami stepped forward and pout the blade's tip to Ian's neck. "Any last words before I kill you, ravage your woman and violate every part of her body before I kill her?" The katana found their resting place at the bottom with a report of dual ringing. Ian looked down and said simply "Two men enter..." and lunged forward and squarely punched Itami in the groin. The general doubled over as Ian stood up."One man leaves!" he said as he raised a fist. The fist came down hard and as it did, Lin could swear she saw it glow a soft blue. It hit the armor and shattered it as Itami howled in pain. As blood shot up from the wound like a garden hose from hell. Ian pulled his hand back with Itami's still beating heart in it. "Told you so moron." Ian grumbled as Itami looked up, coughing up blood. "B-b-but how? he gasped and died. Ian threw the heart down and turned to Lin. She had already stood up and rushed to him. She threw her arms around him and buried her head where his neck and shoulder met. He softly whispered into her ear a reassuring "I'll never let anyone hurt you." As stood in their embrace, a voice from behind asked "Who are you two lovebirds and what the hell did you do to Itami?"


	7. Of Ships and Kings and Sealing Wax

**Chapter Six**

**"Of Ships, and Kings and Sealing Wax"**

Lin and Ian spun around to see what appeared to be a small boy, about 8 years old, wearing light grey pants, a light grey jack coat and a white shirt. Next to him stood two huge, red armor clad akuma who now lowered their halberds at the two visitors. Lin clutched Ian as he spoke up "He stole the Kurari and Akarui Runes from Yubaba and Zeniiba. We came to get them back and he decided he'd rather try to have his way with Lin here and kill me." The boy held a hand to his chin and asked "And how do I know you're not some highly trained assassins come to kill me?" At that, the guards took a step closer and Ian slid in front of Lin to protect her. A cough to one side broke the silence and a third armored akuma in the back bent to one side and reached down. As he stood, he pulled up, by the scruff of the neck, Bandaged Guard. All turned to the two as the akuma said in a Darth Vader like deep voice "My Lord, one of Itami's men." All eyes were on it now . It gulped, smiled and begged "Oh please don't kill me or give me to your sisters Lord Kawaru." Lin and Ian looked in astonishment to the boy."Lord Kawaru?" Lin mused. The boy ignored her and asked the guard what happened. He told of Itami's plan to steal the runes and then throw a coup and overthrow Kawaru, his sisters and their parents and then ride for conquest of both the human and spiritual relms. "But sire, I only realized this a day ago, the full plan that is, and I'd never go against you." "Then why not tell his lordship?!" demanded an akuma guard. The guard looked up and replied in a frightened voice "I wanted to, oh yes I did, but you know how General Itami can be especially to us subordinates and I feared worse things would happen to me than if your lordship tossed me to her ladyship, Lady Disorder." All eyes were now on Kawaru. A long pause felt very unnerving until he finally spoke. "The guard here will be released, but given guard duty in the northern expanses for no less than a decade. As for you two," he turned and looked at Ian and Lin and finished with "Come with me. I must show my gratitude for stopping the coup and maintaining order." He turned smartly and walked into the castle. Bandage guard was let go and the two original akuma guards extended their arms as if saying "after you" to Lin and Ian. Lin looked at Ian who just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. The two, hand in hand, entered the castle followed by their escort.

As they walked down the mahogany paneled hallway, Lin noticed that the floor, looking like black marble, was actually like if they were walking on glass and stars, planets, galaxies and comets were beneath them and this became apparent when one star went supernova. She let out a gasp but kept walking. Ian just looked at her and smiled. As they continued, Ian spoke up. "Excuse me Lord Kawaru?" The boy stopped, turned and gave a 'Yes?' look. "A few minutes ago, you said we maintained order, yet isn't this the part of the spirit realm where chaos resides?" Kawaru smiled and replied "In a world of chaos, chaos becomes order and real order becomes the chaos." Lin gave a look and asked "What? That doesn't make sense." The boy lord smiled and replied "Simply, consider evil. In a world of total evil, an act considered by say, us, that is of good intent and not evil, would be considered evil." Ian squeezed Lin's hand and she looked at him. "In other words, one man's garbage is another's treasure." Lin pondered and then got it and smiled. "Hmm, interesting version of the analogy but yes, correct." Kawaru mused. The group continued and now the hallway displayed some small, model ships on pedestals. Ian stopped to take a closer look and realized each ship was made entirely out of pearl rice, a type of rice with very minute grains. "Ahh, I see you're admiring my collection. That particular ship is a triame from the Greek era." the boy said. Ian looked it over and commented "very good craftsmanship. Who makes these?" Kawaru smiled and replied "I did using only pearl grain rice and a special sealing wax that also acts like glue when dry." Moments later, the group arrived into a large office like room. It was done over in a Victorian Style and had a rather large oaken desk and equally large, overstuffed, leather chair. The type one sees company owners use in old movies from the 1940s. Kawaru sat in the chair and motioned for Ian and Lin to sit in smaller chairs in front of him. The two sat down and Kawaru began. "You see, though not really liked by others in the realm, my family is actually trying to keep balance. You might say that we are the Yang to Yubaba and Zeniiba's Yin. Both sides have the power to destroy the other side, but in doing so, the human realm gets harmed even more and thus forms our downfall." Ian nodded and said "So basically MAD or mutually assured destruction." Kawaru nodded and said "Correct. Hmm, interesting that a spirit would use that human term from the 1960s." and raised and eyebrow. Lin suddenly blurted out "Well that's because he's a human." and at realizing what she had just said, covered her mouth. Ian facepalmed but Kawaru smiled "Hrm, a chaos moment then. Who'd expect that the ones to save both realms would be a human and a spirit realm member. More than likely you work at the bathhouse yes?" Lin nodded and he continued "I see. This is almost like that incident a while back when a young human girl crossed over." "Her name is Sen or Chihiro." Lin began "When all thought she was a spirit she was assigned to me at the bathhouse as a worker girl." "And you?" he asked to Ian. The handsome man at Lin's side leaned back in the chair, smiled and replied "I'm a friend of Sen's human family and that aside isn't this incident with Itami going to cause problems diplomatically?" Kawaru quickly thought to himself 'He dodged the question masterfully. he's hiding something..' He raised his hands and clasped them together atop the desk. "Well, I can go with you back to the bathhouse and explain it all to Yubaba and Zeniiba." Lin looked at the boy and asked "You go with us? A bathhouse girl and a human?" Kawaru smiled and replied "Of course. I rarely get out and I've never been to the bathhouse. I hear the herbal soaks there are quite refreshing." Ian spoke up with "That's cool, but Lord Kawaru? How are we going to get there?" Kawaru smiled and leaned back in his chair "Oh, there's still one ship you haven't seen that I've built."


	8. I'll Take What's Behind Curtain 3 Monty

**Chapter Seven**

**"I'll Take What's Behind Curtain Three Monty"**

Yubaba was sitting at her desk checking out the day's take from clients when quite unexpectedly, Haku rushed in. "Yubaba! There's a flying boat coming this way and it flies the flag of Lord Kawaru." Yubaba's eyes grew large as she exclaimed "What? Quick, close the doors and windows. Get the staff armed with whatever and prepare to repel borders!" Haku looked at her and said strangely "Repel borders?" Yubaba jumped up from behind her desk and pulled out an axe "Just get ready for a fight!" she yelled at Haku as she rushed out the door. Out a window she could see a boat sailing towards them. It was an unusual design in that it looked like a typical ocean going version of a Chinese junk, but also had parts that looked like the European sailing vessels of the 18th century. It's sails were a deep amber and had the crest of Kawaru. Yubaba guesses the cargo size and guess-timated it could hold at least 100 armed akuma. 'This could be an interesting fight' she thought. Moments later, the boat landed softly in the water next to the bathhouse. The plains were still filled and made a nice spot to land. A plank came out from the bow and touched down at the bridge. From the boat, Kawaru, Lin and Ian walked out all smiling. As they looked at the bathhouse, they were met with the staff all armed and Yubaba ready to kill. "Hey Yubaba? Is this the way to treat two honored guests and a hard working employee?" Lin shouted at her. Yubaba sneered "I know it was Kawaru who took the runes and now he's come to take control!" Ian stepped forward and began with "Yubaba, it wasn't him, it was.." but was interrupted by a warm of paper birds. They all swooped down at the three and then circled over Yubaba's head. In a tornado like fashion, they funneled down and in a flash, Zeniba appeared. "Zenibia! Will you tell Yubaba to listen for a moment please?" Ian called out. Kawaru leaned over to Lin and asked quietly "Is Yubaba always like this?" Lin's eyes grew to slits as she answered back "Afraid so, well, most of the time really." "Yes sister, please listen to the boy and then decide what to do." Ian called out "It was General Itami that ordered the theft of the runes. He was planning a coup against Kawaru, but we stopped him, told Kawaru about the plan.." "And we're here with your runes Miss Yubaba and Miss Zeniibia" Kawaru finished. He then held up a bag and shook it. The sound of the two runes clinking together made both sister's eyes grow wide in excitement. The three walked forward and Kawaru gave the runes to the sisters. After confirming the runes were in fact the real ones, everyone let their guard relax. Ian reached sideways and grabbed Lin's hand who accepted it warmly. Ian looked at Yubaba and said "Ok, a deal is a deal. I got the runes back and now you have to tell Lin her real name. A deal is a deal." Lin looked at Ian and softly asked "My real name?" Ian nodded as Yubaba slyly answered "Well, not yet. Seems you said if you succeed I'd have to let Lin know her name as well as let her decide to stay here or leave. No particular order either or when actually I can tell her or let her decide. So I think I'll let her decide now and tell her her name later, like say in an eon maybe?" As she laughed Lin raised a fist and yelled back "Hey! That's not fair!" Ian squeezed her hand softly as if saying for her to relax. Yubaba then smartly chirped back as she held up Lin's contract "You've been with me for how long Lin and you still don't understand that when I make a deal, it better be specific down to the most minute point." Ian smirked and then said to her "Oh I think you'll tell her what her real name is now Yubaba." The old witch blinked and mused back "Since when do I, Yubaba take orders from a human?" The crowd gasped at the announcement that Ian was a human. Kamajii crawled closer to Zeniiba and asked if it was true and she told him how Ian was a friend of Sen's. Ian let go of Lin's hand and stepped loser to Yubaba and in a semi-low tone told her "You'll tell her now and oh yea, I'm not human by the way." Zeniiba squinted her eyes at Ian and muttered to Kamajii "I think we're about to get another surprise at the old bathhouse here old friend." Yubaba leapt up and landed face to face with Ian and stated "You think you can trick me or even fool me? Think again. You're so human that even after a special scrubbing, you still smell of humans." Ian grinned and said in a tactful tone "Maybe that's because my name in human guise is Ian but my real name is Ningen no Kokoro, the Spirit of Humanity."The crowd, now consisting of the workers, Zeniiba, Kamajii, Haku, Bou and everyone else including spirit clients all let loose gasps in amazement. Kawaru leaned to Lin and said "Talk about chaos, I didn't even see that coming." The awkwardness was broken by Zeniiba laughing and saying "Oh great sister! Reneging on a deal with one of the most powerful spirits around? Better think your next move carefully." As she laughed, Ian turned and took Lin's hand into his. As he did, Yubaba asked "So why is that bath rat so special to you then?" As he looked deeply into Lin's eyes, Ian replied "Two reasons. Reason one, she's a spirit as well." Yubaba squinted and retorted "That I know. What's the second reason?" Ian took his other hand and held Lin's other hand in his. As she shyly looked down, now knowing that the person she had traveled with and opened herself to was in fact a great spirit, he said "Because despite that and despite who I am, I fell in love with Lin long ago and still love her." Lin gasped at that and asked "Wait? Still in love? When did we meet?"

"We knew each other in the early days after our creation. Despite our roles in life, we fell for each other. When you disappeared, I felt a loss in my heart and had to find you. "

"Wait...I remember something about...about blue roses?"

"Yes, blue roses. I picked them for you on the spring solstice." Kamajii then leaned in to Yubaba and softly asked "You going to tell her?" Yubaba smiled and replied to the old codger "No, I think love is going to do that for me." Lin then closed her eyes and slightly shook her head as she said " But, I remember being here when I was young and.." but Ian pulled her close to him and softly said "And a lot of time has passed. Human time is but a moment for us spirits. Yes, Yubaba had you work for her, but she never changed your name like she did Chihiro, but instead gave you a totally different name." Lin looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. He held up a hand and slightly brushed a tear off her cheek as she asked him "But who was, I mean who am I?" Ian smiled and replied "You are my love, my heart and my joy. You are Kichijōten the goddess of beauty. You inspired mankind to do wonderful things. " At that he stepped back as a swirl of pinkish energy began to swirl around her. As it began to engulf and lift her, Ian said lovingly "You inspire humanity to do good things. YOU are the one responsible for the Renaissance Period among other achievements, and I love you dearly." The energy dissipated and Lin softly landed on the ground on her tiptoes. She looked at Ian, asnd embraced . As the crowd cheered, and Zeniiba handed her sister a hankie to wipe the tears of happiness from her eyes. Ian and Lin shared a deep, long passionate kiss that seemed to emotionally effect all around them. As they did, Kamajii said to Bou and Kawaru "Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind."

**Epilogue**

It was two months after the adventure of Ian and Lin. Haku and Bou were out greeting Chihiro on her latest visit. Haku commented to himself that she was growing more and more everytime he saw her and he too, he realized was growing as well. As she approached, she slowed down and looked at the bathhouse. "Um, Haku? Is there something new about the bathhouse?" Haku smiled and said "Well, seems there's a new edition added a month ago." Before she could ask, Chihiro heard from one side "It's a European version of a spa so the female spirits can get pampered." She turned and saw Ian and Lin standing together. "Lin! Ian!" she squealed and ran to them. After hugging Lin she looked happily startled and said "Lin! You've got new clothes!" Lin smiled and showed off her kimono that had a white base with a design of blue roses covering it. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and held in place by a cherry blossom branch. She smiled at Chihiro and asked "So did Haku ask you yet?" Chihiro blinked and replied "Asked me? Like if we could go out and date or something?" Ian chuckled and Lin elbowed him as she answered "no asked you if you can come back on the spring solstice." Chihiro looked puzzled and asked why. Ian smiled and replied "Well, Lin wants you to be her flower girl at our wedding." Chihiro was taken back. She paused, then smiled and began to bounce happily as she asked a barrage of questions to the two lovers. As she did, Lin looked at Ian and realized that not only did she find a lost, true love, but she also was getting an ending that was to be happily ever after.

The End


	9. Finale

**Final Words :**

**- Soundtrack and why the selections**

Ok, some might want to know about the play list and maybe where it would fit in the storyline, so here goes...

1. Joe Hisaishi - Spirited Away (Reprise) (Spirited Away OST)(4:53) - Opening Credits...I mean the start of Chapter One up to when Ian first walks in to the bathhouse and reveals himself to Yubaba.

2. Annie Livingston - Morning Light Type A (Project A-Ko OST)(1:49) - Ian's fight with the "robbers"

3. Coldplay - Clocks (5:07) - When Ian makes the deal with Yubaba and he meets Lin the first time

4. Ayumi Hamasaki - LOVE -Destiny- (4:56) - The train ride...yes, the song is longer than the scene but it fits the mood

5. The Coors - Breathless (3:28) - When Ian and Lin are walking in the K'sa Plains and at Yubi's hut

6. ABBA - Take A Chance On Me (4:04) - Just tossed in because it could be used as the music for a Lin AMV

7. Brian Tyler - Inama Nushif (Children of Dune OST) (4:42) When Lin and Ian are walking in the K'sa Plain after Yubi's hut and just into the Plains of Change (the "grass moment" is the middle of the song).

8. White Zombie - More Human Than Human [Meet Bambi in the King's Harem Mix (4:18) - Also tossed in because it kind of is like a plot-twist spoiler...

9. Bonnie Tyler - I Need A Hero (4:23) - When Ian is battling the imp soldiers at the castle.

10. Tomoyasu Hotei - Battle without Honor or Humanity (Kill Bill OST)(2:28) - When Ian fights General Itami.

11. The Pretenders - I'll Stand By You (3:59) - When Lin finally realizes, she's in love with a human.

12. ELO - I'm Alive (3:45) - Everyone finds out Ian is the Spirit of Humanity and Lin is the Muse of Inspiration

13. Wallflowers - We Can Be Heroes (Godzilla OST)(3:56) - When they arrive back at the bathhouse

14. Annie Livingston - Follow Your Dream (Project A-Ko OST)(4:05) - At the end when Lin says she wants to be with Ian forever and the Epilogue

15. Zeromancer - Send Me an Angel (3:57) - End Credits

**- Chapter Titles**

Ok, some of you might be scratching your heads at the chapter titles. Here's why I named them as such -

Chapter 1 : Of Picnics and Passerbys is a reference to not only Chihiro's and Haku's picnics but also because Ian at first

Chapter 2 : A Fine Mess We Made is a reference not only to Laurel and Hardy (an odd couple..like Lin and Ian) but also, there's a big mess made no?

Chapter 3 : A Journey Begins With A First Step is a reference to not only the age old saying but also how the "journey' not only in the chapter title but the main title is really a reference to Lin's personal journey.

Chapter 4 : A Broken Rose and Laughing Eyes reference to the Def Leppard song "Bringin On The Heartbreak" because the song, though not on the playlist, could be considered a ballad by Ian towards Lin. Listen to the song and you'll know why.

Chapter 5 : Into The Breach is a line by the Bard himself and since it is a chapter with a big fight, it fits.

Chapter 6 : Of Ships and Kings and Sealing Wax is not only a reference to Alice in Wonderland's speach made by the Walrus, but think of old, OLD school kids and Kawaru is somewhat royalty but also a kid with ship models. It seemed to fit.

Chapter 7 : I'll Take Curtain Three Monty is a reference to the old TV show "Let's Make A Deal" and Yubaba and Ian not only had a deal, but on the TV show, there was usually something surprising and in Chapter 7 we get a surprise or two...or three..

Ok, before anyone sends messages asking "Why such short descriptions in the chapters?' Well, think of it like this : Spirited Away was what? 2 hours long right? If I wrote "Lin's Journey" as I wanted to, I'd write a book,(thought of some dream sequences, a lover's quarrel, Lin in a bar fight she wins, etc...) but figured this would be like if it was a 2hr 10 minute movie. Think about Escaflowne the series vs Escaflowne the Movie...the series was deeper and longer but the movie pretty much just covered the basic important parts. Not as good as the series, but decent right? Same goes for here. Besides..I had this, Tracker, a Stargate fanfic, a Waterworld One shot fanfic based on the orgins of the Mariner, and an original short story involving kitsune that I've been (and still am) working on..that and work. Yea..lots of projects.

Anyhoo... hope you enjoyed this tale. Stay tuned for more Tracker chapters and possibly another short story or two.


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